SR0048 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0048 LRB097 10050 GRL 50226 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The centennial of President Ronald Reagan's birth occurred on February 6, 2011; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan was the only U.S. president born in the State of Illinois, in the town of Tampico; and

WHEREAS, Ronald Reagan spent his formative years in Illinois, growing up in Dixon; and

WHEREAS, While serving as a lifeguard on the Rock River during his teenage years, Ronald Reagan was credited with saving 77 lives; and

WHEREAS, Ronald Reagan went to Illinois' Eureka College, where he majored in economics and sociology and graduated from that institution in 1932; and

WHEREAS, After college, Ronald Reagan entered the field of broadcasting as an announcer for the Chicago Cubs out of the WHO radio station in Des Moines, Iowa; and

WHEREAS, Ronald Reagan then traveled to Hollywood to embark on a career in motion pictures, eventually starring in more than 60 films; and

WHEREAS, Ronald Reagan left acting to serve in the Second World War, eventually rising to the rank of Captain in the United States Army Air Force; and

WHEREAS, Ronald Reagan put his acting skills to use in the armed forces, helping make more than 400 training films to assist AAF pilots; and

WHEREAS, Upon returning to Hollywood, Ronald Reagan joined the Screen Actors Guild union, eventually serving six terms as president of the organization; and

WHEREAS, Ronald Reagan's role as George Gipp in the movie "Knute Rockne: All American" led to his nickname "The Gipper", which he was called for the rest of his life; and

WHEREAS, On the set of the movie "Hellcats of the Navy", Ronald Reagan met the woman who would end up being the love of his life, Nancy Davis; and

WHEREAS, Ronald Reagan was the proud father of four children - Maureen, Ron, Jr., Patti, and Michael; and

WHEREAS, Ronald Reagan served as a spokesman for General Electric; he later served as a host for the popular TV show General Electric Theater; and

WHEREAS, Ronald Reagan went on to be elected to serve as the two-time governor of California, serving from 1967 to 1975; and

WHEREAS, Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States in 1980 - the first native-born Illinois person to reach the highest office in the land; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan's optimism and belief that the United States' best days were yet to come helped rejuvenate the American spirit; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan never mistook his political opponents for enemies, and worked with his Democratic Congress on behalf of the American people; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan's grace under pressure during his assassination attempt, with quips such as "Honey, I forgot to duck", helped console the American people during that very dark hour; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan's strong support for our national defense and his popularity among our nation's fighting men and women led to the naming of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in his honor; and

WHEREAS, During President Reagan's presidency, the United States was respected throughout the world, and foreign relations improved with Europe, India, China, and other nations; and

WHEREAS, During the Reagan presidency, America saw years of unprecedented economic growth and prosperity; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan never forgot his Illinois roots - frequently coming back to our State to visit his boyhood home of Dixon, Eureka College, and other communities; and

WHEREAS, As president, Ronald Reagan was graced with the nickname "The Great Communicator" for his ability to convey his vision to the American people; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan's popularity among the American people led to his winning 49 states in his reelection and capturing more electoral votes than any other presidential candidate in history; and

WHEREAS, Working with national leaders and our democratic allies, President Reagan played a crucial part in ending communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union; and

WHEREAS, When the reformist leader Mikhail Gorbachev took power in the Soviet Union, President Reagan worked with him to diffuse Cold War tensions; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan worked with General Secretary Gorbachev to reduce nuclear arms by concluding an agreement on the INF Treaty, which, for the first time ever, reduced the number of nuclear weapons; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan gave a famous speech in 1987 calling on Mr. Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall, which did fall a little more than two years later; and

WHEREAS, By the end of the Reagan presidency, Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union and United States had dramatically decreased; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan's speech comforting the nation following the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger helped console a grieving nation; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan's leadership inspired many young Americans to enter public service; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan's courageous fight against Alzheimer's disease led to greater public awareness of that terrible illness; and

WHEREAS, Hundreds of landmarks, roads, and buildings have been named as a tribute to President Reagan across America, including Washington DC's Reagan Airport and Ronald Reagan Building, and Illinois' Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we salute President Ronald Reagan on the 100th anniversary of his birth, thank him for the service to our country as a member of our armed forces, as a public servant, and as President, and honor him for helping to revive the American spirit.